THE WISCONSIN IDEA is literally under attack, by a corrupt fundamentalist interloper from Iowa and they can have him BACK!

Mr. Sharpless is a member of nearly extinct species, the rare and elusive Rationally Striped Moderate Republican and at one point he didn't just get angry, he got Fmr. Senator Dale Schultz angry and he went on a rant (his description). In summary and paraphase he told the I Stand With Stupid crowd: If you don't like living in a good state with good government, institutions and infrastructure MOVE TO ALABAMA!

Four years ago it was Greedy Teachers So now the "Bad People" are the folks at our great university system, the Enemy Du Jour for the Great Divider.

Just imagine who among us Walker would decide is "The Enemy" to his "heroship" were he to become president. He won't, but just imagine it, because that is his game, scapegoat people to make himself the "Hero" to the disgruntled so that he can Divide & Conquer. That's what jerks do, not leaders.

The whole - Professors need to work harder, teach more and only do research that will create jobs garbage appears to be his idea. Unfortunately he is clueless to the fact that basic research without obvious and immediate applications often leads to huge real world impacts with great economic benefits. That and the fact that NONE of the $1.2 BILLION dollars annually that support research in the UW-System comes from state taxes, in fact most of it comes from outside the state creating lots of jobs in the Badgered State. Robin's a lost cause, but I encourage folks to write their "representatives" anyway. If we can convince just a few, especially Senators in rural communities around the state that folks don't want to see their local UW campus' harmed and tuition go through the roof for their kids and grandchildren we can stop this thing. Heck, if the normally whacko Steven Nass R-Whitewater has come out with criticism against Walker's attack, saying "I don't trust the unelected Board of Regents to prioritize the plight of middle-class families,"there is hope!

Thursday, January 29, 2015

I musta hit record on my phone a dozen times before it took, so unfortunately Steve's intro with some of the 1960's history surrounding Phil got cut off. Maybe he'll fill it back in, in the comments section below. Share & Enjoy!

Tuesday, January 27, 2015

I wish I could have recorded all the performers at last Saturday's Songs of Protest themed open mic at the Coffee House at Chestnut & Pine, they were all outstanding! But I got a few nuggets including this one (Crabs in a Barrel Polka) from my friend and BAPster Jacob Merseberger (more to come). Share and Enjoy!

Saturday, January 24, 2015

Back when we were being misled into the debacle in Iraq, the military started a program to build a mega bomb, which they called Divine Strake. It creeps me out that anyone could deem a bomb to be “divine” and thereby imagine they would wield the hand of God in ‘tamping” down their enemies. Around that time George W. Bush was asked if he had consulted his Father regarding the wisdom of toppling our erstwhile ally Saddam. And Bushyboy replied that no, he had consulted his higher Father, obviously implying that he has conferred with God. So I imagined what it might have been like if that reporter had pressed further on this father thing, discussing with Georgie Boy his conversation with God. I give you Bunker Buster Bomb (My President Talks With God). Swing it!

Our president talks with God ya’ll, our
president talks with God

We’re so lucky in the USA cuz Jahovah gave
George the nod

Now tell us now Mr. President when the
whisper is in your ear

What great nuggets do you hear coming through
so clear

Well I speak for God and the workin people

Let it ring from every steeple

He said

Build me a bunkerbuster bomb George, build me
a bunkerbuster bomb

Vengeance is mine so sayeth I, or at least so
says the psalm

Now you’re practically my right hand man
there George my prodigal prodigal son

And I’ll be back when you’ve got it done to
tell you who to drop it on.

Tuesday, January 20, 2015

This Saturday night at the Coffee at Chestnut & Pine, 492 N. Pine Street in Burlington there will a themed open mic night hosted by Jeff Peterson. The night will feature original compositions and standard songs of protest and social significance performed by local folks. The night will include performances by BAPsters Stephen Sullivan, Jacob Merseberger and your's truly, Sean Cranley.

The set list is below and includes a couple links where you can watch and/or listen to some of the selections. It's supposed to be warm Saturday, so come on out and join your neighbors in raising your voice and perhaps a glass and proclaim in the spirit of the great Dr. Tom Lehrer:

The DPI’s (Department of Public Instruction) Pertl told the committee that many times, charter schools are serving targeted populations of students and have fewer students with special needs than traditional schools, which could pose a problem for conversion.

Pertl also noted that having more than one test could harm the accuracy of the accountability system in comparing schools.

Jim Bender of voucher school lobbying group School Choice Wisconsin, however, said the use of multiple tests is strongly encouraged because the goal is to measure progress, not to compare schools.

Friday, January 16, 2015

Despite a $2.2 billion dollar deficite after all our trouble and turmoil in The Badgered State, Vulture Vos says we should continue to turn down more federal funds in this long-time Donor state. Getting more money to give more Wisconsinites better healthcare coverage may be in the interests of the citizenry, but that is NOT who Sir Robin Shillsalot Represents.

Unfortunately, here in Wiscossippi too many folcks can't tell a "Rascal" from a hole in the ground. Our once proud heritage of progress, goodwill and clean government for the common good is being eroded by the likes of Vos and Wrong Way Walker, a fundamentalist interloper form Iowa. It's like we've fallen through the looking glass and to the "mercy" of Mad Hatters and the "Queen of Hearts". Malice-In-Dairyland, goodbye Wisconsin!

Wednesday, January 14, 2015

After a very entertaining weekend of tying the factless and feckless commentors on their Facebook page in knots, I actually got the MacIver Institute to admit that there is not one public school in Wisconsin that has a high-student-failure-rate, that does not also have a high concentration of students in Poverty. It's the Poverty Stupid!

"MacIver Institute: Yep, you're right about brick and mortal schools. The lowest % of economically disadvantaged students in a failing school for 2014-15 was 56%."

The link to the MacIver piece is here and the string of comments where the Cult of Con adherents are unable to articulate why they believe what they believe and why they believe I am wrong follows:

Sean Cranley: More mythology. There is no such thing as a failing school. Schools don't take tests, or do assignments. It's students that fail and when students fail in high concentrations it's always due to high concentrations of poverty, ALWAYS! This truth is borne out by the fact that Milwaukee's Vulture Schools have failed for over two decades to make any improvement in student outcomes. Same students, same poverty, same associated social ills, same results. It's not failing schools, but rather High-Failure-Rate- Students.

The problem will never be solved so long as we follow the failed mantra of "failing schools" and recognize and address the real problem. But it really isn't about the kids. I has always been about money and power and the decades long lust of the Waltons/Walton Foundation (Walmart) and the De Vos family's (scAmway) American Federation for Children to get at our tax money. CROOKS and SCOUNDRELS!

Tony NovinskaSo what you're saying is that systemic failure is not to be addressed? You are correct about one thing and even the President of the NEA Legal Counsel said, back in 2010, "This isn't about education and it's certainly not about the children. It's about power."

So stop with the "My Soros is better than your Koch" divisive BS.

Accountability is not in the Liberal dictionary. Heaven forbid that something that goes against Unionista Propaganda EVER be considered.

The status quo got us here. It's time to address the status quo. Directly.

Sean CranleyYou're right Fred, I say it because it's true and I know that it's because I've looked into the matter. Now I've got challenge for you that I know you cannot accomplish and I doubt very much (similar past experience) that I will ever hear from again on the subject.

A) Find me one high student failure rate school in The Badgered State that does NOT also have a high poverty rate.

B) Develop an alternative theory for what causes high failure rate schools and correlate that cause with the exisiting high failure rate schools in Wiscossippi.

I've got the hand that can show that the mantra of "failing schools" is a myth. No actually, it's just a flat out lie. And I'm calling your bluff, put up or shut up. Accomplish one of the three things above and I will donate $50 to the non-political/religious charity of your choice. I won't hold my breath though, see ya in the funny papers.

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Who We Are

Burlington Area Progressives is a non-profit, non-partisan group. Our mission is to inform, unify, and mobilize area citizens on local, state, and national issues.

A progressive is someone who believes in the betterment of society through progress. A progressive takes the best ideas from the past, updates them to the present, and uses them to create a better future. Progressives are concerned with freedom, social justice, education, health care, ecology, and voting rights -- among many other issues. Progressives believe that a rising tide should lift all boats. Unfortunately, the current tide seems to be lifting only a privileged few.

We believe that working together, we can turn back the waves of ignorance and oppression threatening our country and return America to the progressive values on which the country was founded -- values which made the United States a beacon of hope and freedom for the entire world.

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